The best one sec alternatives for Chrome in 2026

Last updated September 2026.

In the interest of transparency: Redirect, one of the options on this list, is our product, and this page lives on its website. On September 26, 2026 we checked every product below against its official site and Chrome Web Store listing, and we only state what we could confirm there. Where another tool fits you better, we say so.

Does one sec work on Chrome?#

Yes. Before you look for an alternative, know that one sec has its own browser extension. Its platforms page calls it a free browser extension that gives you "a mindful pause before you can open distracting websites", with Re-Intervention, Blocking and customizable interventions, and says it runs on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and more. The Chrome Web Store listing shows 40,000 users, a 4.9 rating from 1.2K ratings, a Featured badge, version 1.4.2 updated September 25, 2026, and a note that it offers in-app purchases.

A few more things we confirmed:

• Your data stays on your device. The listing says usage data is stored offline, on device, and that the developer has disclosed it will not collect or use your data.
• It works across devices. one sec's FAQ says one account covers iOS and Android devices plus the browser extension on Windows, macOS and Linux, and that you "pay once, use on all your devices".
• You can block, not just pause. The FAQ says configured sites can be blocked completely during a block session or scheduled time, and that you can schedule when interruptions appear.

So if you searched "one sec for Chrome", the honest first answer is: try one sec's own extension.

Where one sec is genuinely the best choice#

one sec started on the phone, and that is still where it shines. It began on iPhone and iPad, came to Android in 2023, and has a Mac app for desktop apps. If your scrolling jumps between phone and laptop, one system with one account is hard to beat.

It is also unusually research-backed. one sec was the subject of a peer-reviewed study in PNAS, Grüning, Riedel and Lorenz-Spreen (2023), which looked at how its self-nudge pause affected smartphone app use, and its site lists further studies with the Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University. Keep in mind that research was about phone apps; the browser extension uses the same idea, but the studies we saw were not about desktop browsing.

Pick one sec if you want the same mindful pause on your phone and your computer, or you like having research behind the approach.

Why people look for a one sec alternative on desktop#

The common reasons are practical rather than about quality:

• You only care about desktop Chrome and want a tool built just for the browser.
• A short pause becomes a reflex. Some people learn to wait it out without thinking. If that is you, a pause that asks for more effort may hold better. We wrote about this in why website blockers don't work.
• You want a destination, not only a delay. Some tools send you somewhere useful instead.
• You prefer a free, open source tool.

Quick comparison#

The alternatives#

1. Redirect

Who it's for: people who pause fine, then keep saying "just five more minutes".

Redirect takes the pause idea and makes the pause cost a small, real effort. When you open a site you have a rule for, you are sent to your Focus dashboard, which shows up to three goals and your stats, or to a custom URL you choose. To get in anyway you complete the task you picked for that rule: a typing challenge (type a paragraph exactly, no pasting), a reason prompt (your earlier reasons are shown back to you), a math challenge, a breathing pause (one 4-7-8 cycle with the tab in focus), a 60 second wait that restarts if you leave the tab, or no task for sites you trust.

You choose pause lengths from 1 to 60 minutes and can set a daily pause limit per rule. A floating timer shows how much time is left, and when a pause ends Redirect sends you back right away, even mid scroll. Rules can be a whole site, a path rule like youtube.com/shorts, or a homepage-only rule, with exceptions and schedules. It also catches in-app navigation, so clicking into Shorts from the YouTube home page still redirects. Everything is stored locally with no account.

Limits: Chrome and Chromium browsers only (Arc, Brave, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi). No phone app, no sync across devices, and no Firefox or Safari. If your phone is the main problem, one sec is the better tool.

Price: free for one site, with Pro and Lifetime plans for unlimited sites.

2. one sec's own extension

Who it's for: anyone who already uses one sec on a phone, or wants the research-backed version of the mindful pause.

See above: free extension with in-app purchases, on-device data, cross-device account, 4.9 rating. It is the most direct answer to "one sec chrome extension", and if it works for you, you do not need an alternative.

3. Intention

Who it's for: people who want to decide how long they will stay before they go in.

Intention asks you to commit to a time limit when you visit a distracting site, shows how much time you have left, and ends the session when time runs out, then prompts you to reflect. Its site adds a daily limit across distracting sites, a streak for days you stay under it, and a custom schedule. The Chrome listing shows 7,000 users, a 4.9 rating from 1K ratings, and version 1.5.0 updated March 15, 2025. It is also on Firefox.

Limits: it has not been updated since March 2025 per its listing. The unlock is a commitment, not an effortful task.

Price: the listing does not flag in-app purchases.

4. LeechBlock NG with the delaying page

Who it's for: people who want a free, open source tool and are happy to configure it.

LeechBlock NG is not a mindful pause app, but it can act like one. Choose the delaying page for a block set and you get a countdown before the site loads. Its documentation lets you set the countdown in seconds, cancel the countdown if the page loses focus, and limit access to a set number of minutes after you go through the delay. On top of that you get up to 30 block sets, time limits, lockdown, passwords and keyword rules. It has 100,000 Chrome users and a 4.9 rating, and it runs on Firefox too.

Limits: many options to learn, and no phone app.

Price: free and open source (MPL-2.0).

5. Pause by Freedom

Who it's for: people who want the simplest possible pause.

Pause is a free extension from Freedom. When you open a distracting site it shows a calming green screen for five seconds (adjustable), then you choose to continue, stay on the green screen with the site temporarily blocked, or close the tab. It comes with a starter list of 50 distracting sites, and the listing says none of your data leaves your device. It has 10,000 users and a 4.5 rating from 124 ratings.

Limits: the listing shows version 1.0.1, last updated October 3, 2023, so do not expect new features. A five second pause is easy to wait out.

Price: free.

How to choose#

• You want your phone covered too: stay with one sec.
• You want a free, open source option: LeechBlock NG's delaying page.
• You want to set a time limit at the door: Intention.
• You want the lightest possible nudge: Pause by Freedom.
• The pause itself has become a habit you click through: Redirect, which makes each pause cost a task you choose and sends you to your goals instead.

If you are starting with one site, our setups for YouTube, Instagram and Reddit walk through it, and the wider best website blockers for Chrome roundup covers stricter tools.

Close the tab. Open your goals.

Redirect sends distracting sites to the goals you wrote down, and makes every pause a choice.

Add to Chrome, free to start